Robert Louis Stevenson, the Scottish novelist, poet, and travel writer said, “I kept always two books in my pocket, one to read, one to write in.”

Christianity Today magazine did a survey and found that only about 10 percent of Americans who are Christians read the Bible daily. Don Whitney, professor of biblical spirituality at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary notes that, [The Bible is] “a challenging book, and even if people believe, in the abstract, that it would be good to read it, that doesn’t mean they know how to make sense of a particular passage or even where to start.”

Further review by Lifeway Research shows that only one out of every five Americans has read the whole Bible, while one of four has never read more than a few sentences. “For most people, it’s almost more of a reference book,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research. “They’re looking up something when they need it or someone else needs it. Or they’re flipping it open and reading wherever they happen to land.”

Are you surprised by their research? There are people who gave their lives to the Lord and received their salvation years ago but haven’t opened a Bible. Why do you think that is? Can you have a relationship with God by not knowing what He says? Isn’t the great goal of Bible reading and study is to get to know and enjoy Jesus? Understanding His nature? Building our faith to believe what He wants for us? We all know from experience that the more you hang out with someone, the more you have a deep, abiding, meaningful relationship with them.

Why else should we read the Bible? 2 Timothy tells us that “all Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.” Psalm 119 says “I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”

There are a lot of other reasons why we should read the Bible. But one thing that I find is especially wonderful is that studying His Word helps plant His promises in our heart. Then we can speak – in faith – those promises over our lives and live victoriously in this world as we do His good works. But we can’t plant the seed of the Word or speak the Word if we don’t read the Word.

Just as Robert Louis Stevenson did, keep two books in your pocket. The first book is the Bible, and the second book a journal to write in when God gives you amazing revelation of what you reflect on after you read. This revelation changes your life and furthers your walk on the Spiritual Journey.